Home Office requires asylum seekers to contribute toward accommodation costs

The Home Office announced on 30 June that asylum seekers who can afford to do so must repay a flat-rate contribution toward their accommodation and support. The policy shifts asylum support closer to means-tested logic used elsewhere in public services. Details on how financial means will be assessed and the expected yield remain unpublished. Asylum support currently provides £8.86 to £49.18 weekly per person, raising questions about which applicants can realistically contribute.